Abel to Yzerman

No. He didn't say that. Not even to Helene via text or message over the PS3. But this will be cool for the three days Babcock actually keeps the line together...

Babcock said he'll use his two-best players, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, on the same line at the start of the season, which is expected to begin with games at St. Louis Jan. 19 and Columbus Jan. 21, barring a change in the schedule.

“They've been playing (in Europe) and they're in shape,'' Babcock said. “They play good together. Last year they started out slow, never got going.''

He said 26-year-old rookie Damien Brunner will start on that line. He's the leading scorer in the Swiss league, where he has formed great chemistry with Zetterberg.

And, just like all 19 of us, our Uncle is absolutely convinced Johan Franzen will be ready to go right from the jump and sustain a high level of play through August 11th when Gary says the Finals will end.

Valtteri Filppula, who's expected back soon from his sprained knee, will center the second line with Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson. Filppula is coming off career highs in goals (23) and points (66). Franzen has scored 57 goals the past two seasons but has been inconsistent. The club is hoping Samuelsson, back after leaving in 2009, can make up for some of the offense lost with Jiri Hudler's departure.

“That gives us two Grade A top units,'' Babcock said. “Zetterberg and Datsyuk are going to be a tandem, as will Franzen and Filppula. The wingers can rotate.''

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/13/13 at 03:51 PM ET

I’ve been doing some prescouting so I don’t have to miss so much of the games to provide “intermission entertainment”.

If the masses do not object, I may even dabble with a few strawberrys…

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 01/13/13 at 08:32 PM ET

$60 shmixty even if I know have Direct TV…I’m still uh…pirating…um…you know.

Heh…pirating…Jasmine…booty.

What?

Posted by
mrfluffy
from A wide spot on I-90 in Montana on 01/13/13 at 08:46 PM ET

I know I’m asking for trouble…but I have a link with feeds for nearly every sports event..anywhere. PM me if you’re interseted.

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 01/14/13 at 12:03 AM ET

So $60 or $1.25 for a 48 game schedule, x 30 teams, but lets be real, how often do I watch much of other teams games?

Last couple of seasons it was what, $149 for 82 games, or upwards of $1.75 per game?

So the rate is down from last year, still I wish they’d gone down farther, like Jasmine.

Posted by RWBill from the open bar on The Hasek. on 01/13/13 at 10:21 AM ET

And… games broadcast on NBC, NBCSN and NHL Network are not included in Center Ice/Gamecenter. I looked at the Wings schedule, and 21 games are being broadcast on those three networks. So… for your $60, you’re only getting 27 games.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/14/13 at 10:04 AM ET

Also, starting last season, there were no playoff games at all included in the package. NBC and NBCSN showed all the playoff games. In previous seasons, Center Ice included the first couple rounds of the playoffs so you could still see Ken and Mick.

It just gets worse every year.

I’m not buying, just pointing these things out for people who are considering it.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/14/13 at 10:08 AM ET

From PuckDaddy (Ryan Lambert - - for what its worth) - - one of these predictions is just funny, and one hits terrifyingly close to home:

15. Jiri Hudler and Dennis Wideman will both make a real strong case for “Dumbest Jay Feaster signing of the summer.” Hudler wins by a slim margin.

16. Detroit will barely squeeze into the playoffs because their defense is terrible, and they get routed in the first round. Jimmy Howard looks decidedly human all of a sudden.

Why: Welcome to the Twilight Zone. Detroit, on the playoff bubble? It feels odd to even type those words, but the Red Wings’ off-season was disastrous. They lost their best defenseman ever, Nicklas Lidstrom, to retirement, and traded Brad Stuart. The assumption was they’d land a big free agent fish or two to replace them, but GM Ken Holland swung and missed. Even if rookie Brendan Smith shines, the Wings can’t possibly replace what they’ve lost on the back end. . . .

The Wings remain a playoff team, but aren’t a serious Cup threat anymore.

The Wings remain a playoff team, but aren’t a serious Cup threat anymore.

Nor were we a threat last year…
Or the year before that.
Or the year before that.
I think there’s a pattern here.

Posted by
MOWingsfan19
from I really like our team on 01/14/13 at 11:30 AM ET

I had seen that figure of 20 some Wings games on national TV which will be blacked out on Center Ice. That ends up being aboot $2.50 per game then for just those on Center Ice. If one watches a lot of other teams it’s still a deal, but I don’t on a regular basis. Tough call now, i’ve got to watch them somewhere. Bootleg links seemed to be hit and miss the last 2 years.

Bogus, dude.

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/14/13 at 05:38 PM ET

Gamecenter Live is $49.99 for the “full season”. I don’t give a shit how many games it is, I’m a spineless whore and that sounds like a bargain to me.

Posted by
monkey
from Praha, Česká republika on 01/14/13 at 07:10 PM ET

And… games broadcast on NBC, NBCSN and NHL Network are not included in Center Ice/Gamecenter. I looked at the Wings schedule, and 21 games are being broadcast on those three networks. So… for your $60, you’re only getting 27 games.

I get all those other networks, but I agree it sounds like a real rip-off for anyone who doesn’t. Center Ice is, as I understand it, totally awesome for anyone who lives outside North America. They get every single game, usually both feeds. “How it should be”.

Posted by
monkey
from Praha, Česká republika on 01/14/13 at 07:30 PM ET

Center Ice is, as I understand it, totally awesome for anyone who lives outside North America.

I just talked to Jasmine again, and she said to tell you that if $10 was such a deal breaker for you, you should take a hard look at your “Extenze” habit. She was pretty lathered up.

Well, with center ice i do get to use the dvr and all the recording and buffering tricks, so i can join in late and catch up by the start of the second period live. Might actually be able to do that with gamecenter too.

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/14/13 at 08:50 PM ET

Posted by
42jeff
from The greater Howard City, MI metroplex on 01/15/13 at 12:02 AM ET

$10 is not a deal breaker for me, however I don’t have Directv. I do, however, have a Roku, and I’m thinking about getting one of them Wii doo hickies. Gamecenter Live it shall be.

Posted by
monkey
from Praha, Česká republika on 01/15/13 at 07:31 AM ET

“Extenze” hahaha. The main ingredient is lead. That doesn’t enhance anything in a positive way.

Posted by
monkey
from Praha, Česká republika on 01/15/13 at 07:33 AM ET

$60 is a bargain. But it might actually be cheaper because GCL is $50. I saw some tweets this morning that CI will also be $50, but whatever, I’ll give them my money. I would have paid more. I’m out of market, I watch more than the Wings, I don’t care. I did nothing to start this lockout, I could not have prevented it, and not getting CI hurts only me.

RWBill - get Hopslam. It is amazing. It is expensive. But it is worth it. Do you get Sixpoint? They have one called Resin. It’s a double IPA. It’s delicious. Deschutes has a white IPA called Chainbreaker. They don’t distribute here but it’s killer.

Well, with center ice i do get to use the dvr and all the recording and buffering tricks, so i can join in late and catch up by the start of the second period live. Might actually be able to do that with gamecenter too.

Posted by RWBill from the open bar on The Hasek. on 01/14/13 at 08:50 PM ET

Bill, you can “join in late and catch up” on Gamecenter too, just can’t record, of course.

I know $50 doesn’t sound like much, but I’m still too p!ssed at the league to give them any money.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/15/13 at 10:26 AM ET

I have subscribed to the Center Ice package since it was available. I may have to break down and pay for it.
I won’t need my lipstick this time around, because, I’m not even gettin’ kissed while I’m being fuched.

Yeah. I’m going to pay. The features/quality of CI & GCL are still better than the streaming options and while I know there are plenty of opinions out there about the moral justifications of watching streams that are illegal in the US, I just don’t want to deal with the headache of the (infinitesimally small) risk of being caught.

I will look for the Hopslam, I’m sure I have had it. I’ll have to go to Total Wine and stock up on IPAs for a good Red Wings welcoming weekend. Everything Bell’s brews seems to be best in class or outstanding in ts own right.

OBTW 42Jeff, did I ask you this before, don’t think so, have you ever seen the show Ice Pilots about the family airline that flies mostly air breathing relics of the 40s and 50s because they can land on short strips? I think it’s named Buffalo Air out of Yellowknife. I think I did discuss that with someone here, come to think of it.

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/15/13 at 11:19 AM ET

I won’t need my lipstick this time around, because, I’m not even gettin’ kissed while I’m being fuched.

Thanks Gary. A$$.

Kate, you made me snort coffee out my nose!

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/15/13 at 11:22 AM ET

I’m going to try and get by listening to Ken and Paul on radio, then watching highlights after.

I’m also too scared of malware, etc. to watch the free on line feeds.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/15/13 at 11:23 AM ET

I got a user name with one dude and it worked very well, was it “RedWingsLive”? They may have shut him down too but that was the best one for Red Wings games. You had to request a user name and log in but I dont think there was any advertising or malware.

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/15/13 at 11:24 AM ET

Ms Red Winger do you get those other national channels that are going to carry 20+ Red Wings games? That’s nearly half the season without paying any subscription .

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/15/13 at 11:26 AM ET

Ms Red Winger do you have Bright House cable? Where my daughter lives near Daytona they have a sports package that includes Fox Sports Detroit. Not sure how much $$ that is but I remember it was quite an assortment of stations and FSD will carry 41 games this season. You could cancel after the hockey season.

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/15/13 at 11:50 AM ET

Ms Red Winger do you get those other national channels that are going to carry 20+ Red Wings games? That’s nearly half the season without paying any subscription .

Posted by RWBill from the open bar on The Hasek. on 01/15/13 at 11:26 AM ET

Yes, I do.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/15/13 at 12:24 PM ET

Ms Red Winger do you have Bright House cable? Where my daughter lives near Daytona they have a sports package that includes Fox Sports Detroit. Not sure how much $$ that is but I remember it was quite an assortment of stations and FSD will carry 41 games this season. You could cancel after the hockey season.

Posted by RWBill from the open bar on The Hasek. on 01/15/13 at 11:50 AM ET

Yes, I do and yes, I have that sports package and yes, it includes FSD. But the Wings games are blacked out. I do get to see the pre-game and post-game shows sometimes and also “Wingspan.” Thanks for thinking of me!

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/15/13 at 12:26 PM ET

What the Hell! Blacked Out! Why? Damn I really appreciate the information, she may have subscribed to it to see the games. MoFo!

Posted by
RWBill
from swimming in the ocean with narwhals. on 01/15/13 at 01:10 PM ET

it includes FSD. But the Wings games are blacked out.

What the Hell! Blacked Out! Why?

That way they get people to subscribe to Center Ice, NBA, College sports package, and/or NFL ticket for an additional fee.

Simplistically, there was a time (a decade and a half ago) where if you subscribed to the sports package with all the local networks, you could get the games too. But CBS and Fox joined in a law suit against DirecTV over market right infringement (or whatever) over NFL games on national network broadcasts into (read competing) local markets. Needless to say, the networks won. Effectively locking up the whole thing into the black-out and restricted-choice crap we have to deal with today.

BUT, I just checked my channel guide and the Red Wings/Griffins scrimmage tonight at 6 PM is ON! I guess it’s not blacked out because it’s not an NHL event. Anyway, YIPPEE and I hope your daughter gets to watch.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from GlennieAbbyLand, now in Flori-Duh on 01/15/13 at 02:48 PM ET

Anyone have a way of being able to watch the Scrimmage tonight? Free case of PBR..Warm.

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com